War Between Brothers
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The last time we were in the book of 2 Samuel, we saw that David had been anointed king over the tribe of Judah.
Today we learn that the line of Saul is not yet out of the picture. Israel was supposed to be a united kingdom. It was common knowledge that David was the heir apparent of the throne of Israel, but Saul has one more son. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 2, and we’ll begin reading with verse 8.
Ish-Bosheth King of the North
Ish-Bosheth King of the North
Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
Abner had been the head of Saul’s army. Somehow he escaped being killed by the Philistines when Saul, Jonathan, and Malki-Shua were killed. Perhaps he fled in the fact of battle. The truth is, we are not told how Abner escaped—but he did.
Now he is going to be Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth and make him king over the remaining tribes. We have five groups listed: Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin. Then we have the “all inclusive statement” “and all Israel”
Ish-Bosheth was originally called Esh-Baal which means “Fire of Baal” 1 Chronicles 8:33.
Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal.
They changes his name to Ish-Bosheth which means “Man of shame.” We don’t know a lot about Ish-Bosheth. Look at verse 10 and we’ll find most of the information that we have on him:
Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.
He was 40 years old when he became king. That suggests that he was not a kid, and that he should have been in the battle with his father and brothers. This could indicate that he was somewhat cowardly.
The other thing that we are told is that he reigned over Israel for 2 years. Yet, as we see, it is not Ish-Bosheth that ruled but Abner, because he had control of the army.
David King of the South—Judah
David King of the South—Judah
The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.
Then in verse 11 we are told that David reigned over Judah in Hebron for 7 years and 6 months.
This section does a great job of showing three different kinds of people. These three still exist today. Warren Wiersbe writes:
There’s a modern touch to this scenario, for our political and religious worlds are populated by these same three kinds of people. We have weak people like Ish-Bosheth, who get where they are because they have ‘connections.’ We have strong, selfish people like Abner, who know how to manipulate others for their own personal profit. We also have people of God like David who are called, anointed, and equipped but must wait for God’s time before they can serve.”
The question that each of us must ask is, Which kind of person are we? Am I a weak person who gets where I am by my “connections?” Or am I a selfish person who manipulate people for my own personal profit? Or am I a godly person who is called by God, give a purpose by God, and equipped by God to serve Him?
The Power Play Between Houses
The Power Play Between Houses
These two sides—David in the South, and Ish-Bosheth (or Abner) in the North—begin to vie for control. Look at verse 12.
Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
Ish-Bosheth’s men, led by Abner, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.
Mahanaim is on the east side of the Jordan close to Jabesh-Gilead.
Gibeon is just 5.5 miles north of Jerusalem.
That means that Abner is coming down into David’s territory—but there’s a purpose—they are coming for a proposed peace-talk. Notice “One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group sat on the other side.”
Battles For Control
Battles For Control
Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
The talks get boring, so Abner suggests a bit of fighting to settle who should lead Israel.
He says they should pick some young men—these would have been specially trained men who fought in close quarters type fighting.
And Joab agrees.
So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
So they count of 12 men for each side.
Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
We are not sure exactly what this battle looked like, but it may have been similar to the type of battle that David and Goliath were supposed to have. It was probably battle with daggers, because the name Helkath Hazzurim means: Field of Flint; Field of Daggers; or Field of Hostilities.
This verse makes it look like everyone died and the battle was a “stalemate.”
Some scholars believe that this hand-to-hand combat ended in a draw, which caused the fighting to escalate into a full-on battle between the two armies.
Other scholars question this interpretation based on verse 17.
The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
I tend to lean towards the first interpretation. The hand-to-hand combat didn’t prove anything, so it irrupted into a full-on battle between these two armies.
If this is correct, verse 17 tells us that the fighting was fierce! But ultimately David’s army defeated Abner’s men.
Verse 18 prepares us for some of the details of this fierce fighting.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
The three sons of Zeruiah: Joab—the commander of David’s Army. Abishai—another great warrior. And Asahel.
We’re given more information about Asahel: He was fleet footed—he ran fast, like a wild gazelle. Josephus wrote that Asahel could out run horses.
Asahel’s Pursuit
Asahel’s Pursuit
He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.
For whatever reason, Asahel began to pursue Abner.
It says, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. This means that he was focused on Abner. And he did NOT give up and settle for someone else as a target. After all Abner was the leader of the “enemy.”
Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered.
Abner glaces behind him and sees someone chasing him.
So he calls back and asks if it is Asahel.
Asahel answers that it is indeed him.
Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
Abner calls to him again, and tells him to stop chasing him, and settle for one of the younger men—and strip that man of his weapons.
But Asahel would NOT give up and stop chasing him.
Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
Abner gives Asahel a second warning to stop chasing him.
Abner warns Asahel that he will kill him if he doesn’t stop pursuing him.
He doesn’t want to, because he says he would never be able to look Joab in the face again if he were to kill Joab’s younger brother.
Asahel’s Death
Asahel’s Death
But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
But he has a problem—Asahel refused to give up the pursuit!
So Abner killed him by pushing the butt end of his spear into his stomach. Some scholars believe that it was not Abner’s intent to kill him, but rather to slow him down. They suggest that he stopped fast and that is what caused the spear to go through Asahel—but it went through him and killed him.
He died on the spot!
There’s two ways you can interpret the last part of this verse.
Travelers would stop and remember Asahel and remember that he had died.
Those in the battle stopped when they came to the spot where he died—because of the sheer shock and horror of Asahel’s death.
I think the second interpretation is the best, although I wouldn’t be dogmatic on either one.
Joab & Abishai Take Up the Pursuit
Joab & Abishai Take Up the Pursuit
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.
Now Asahel’s two brothers take up the chase. Literally they chase Abner (and his men) all day until the sun was setting. They chase him to the hill of Ammah. It is near the village or town of Giah.
Jerusalem sits on top of Mt Zion. The range of mountains that Mt Zion is part of runs Northeast—if you follow the range northeast and come straight west of Jericho, you would be on top of a mount called Ammah.
So Abner is chased up into the rugged mountain range to escape from his pursuers.
Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
Abner’s men get on top of the hill (or mountain) and form ranks. prepared for battle. The Benjaminites are ready to take one last stand!
Abner’s Appeal
Abner’s Appeal
Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
Abner calls out to Joab and asks:
—Must everyone die by the sword?
—Don’t you understand that this will end in bitterness?
—How long will you and your men chase down their brothers?
Joab’s Response
Joab’s Response
Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
As the God lives—we would have pursued them until morning—we would say, “We would have chased you all night long!”—if you had not spoken to us.
So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
Joab sounded retreat.
And David’s men stopped pursuing Abner and the men of Benjamin.
Parting Ways
Parting Ways
All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.
Abner marched all night long through Arabah—a desert region.
They arrived in the morning hours back at Mahanaim.
Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
Joab stopped pursuing Abner.
Some Stats:
—David lost 20 men total.
Asahel
And 19 other warriors.
But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.
—Abner’s army lost 360 men.
They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
Joab and his men marched to Bethlehem where they buried Asahel.
Then they continued marching all night and arrived back at Hebron at daybreak.
The War Continues
The War Continues
The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
This war is not over yet! It lasted a long time.
The longer it lasted the stronger David and his army grew.
The longer it lasted the weaker Ish-Bosheth’s army grew.
David in Hebron
David in Hebron
Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
Amnon son of Ahinoam.
Kileab son of Abigail.
Absalom son of Maakah—she was the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.
Adonijah son of Haggith.
Shephatial son of Abital.
Ithream son of Eglah.
These 6 sons were born to David in Hebron.
So What?
So What?
This story, helps us see three types of people. We talked about the three types earlier:
(1) The Ish-Bosheth Person—generally weak, but who gets their position by the connections they have.
(2) The Abner Person—generally selfish who gains their position through self-serving manipulation or force to protect their position or for personal gain.
(3) The David Person—chosen by God for a God given purpose and equipped and prepared by God to serve Him.
Each one of us search inside and ask the tough question: “Which kind of person am I?”
Am I a weak person who gets where I am by my “connections?”
Am I a selfish person who manipulate people for my own personal profit?
Or am I a godly person who is called by God, give a purpose by God, and equipped by God to serve Him?
That’s why I chose the memory verse for today.
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
Everything we do we must search our motives to discover why we do what we do. Are we living for and preaching Christ to others our of good will, or out of envy and rivalry?
I challenge you this morning with the words of Paul:
Philippians 1:27 (NIV)
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.